Desperate for Brnz. Seacock Help

[redsky49]

Very appreciative of all the help. My first inclination is to save/repair the original valve (which have been mostly pretty reliable). If that fails I will replace it.
This happens just the day before the boat was to be splashed. I rushed the job as my neighbor in the boatyard plans to start sanding his topsides and I wanted to get out before all the dust.
Just goes to show that haste makes for crummy outcomes.

[Wulf]

Easy since you’re already hauled out. Just remove from the boat, clean it properly and repair or replace.

[Cheechako]

You can have the handle brazed back on. Just remove it and then tap the tapered cone out, clean it up good, coat with lanolin. Then when you put it back in, be sure to rotate it so you can tap on the nut end, unlike the original installer!
With lanolin it will not freeze up again. In cold water it will turn slower though.

Or just replace it. Dont downgrade to plastic!

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

You can have the handle brazed back on. Just remove it and then tap the tapered cone out, clean it up good, coat with lanolin. Then when you put it back in, be sure to rotate it so you can tap on the nut end, unlike the original installer!
With lanolin it will not freeze up again. In cold water it will turn slower though.

Or just replace it. Dont downgrade to plastic!

Marelon is not a downgrade. It is an upgrade. No corrosion. No maintenance other than a little lube on the ball. Bronze conical seacocks are a PITA to service and you still have the potential of it corroding away.

If you are in a hurry to get back in the water just buy a new Marelon seacock and tail piece. You will probable have to cut out the old tailpiece regardless of what you do.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Marelon is not a downgrade. It is an upgrade. No corrosion. No maintenance other than a little lube on the ball. Bronze conical seacocks are a PITA to service and you still have the potential of it corroding away.

If you are in a hurry to get back in the water just buy a new Marelon seacock and tail piece. You will probable have to cut out the old tailpiece regardless of what you do.

I've had Marelon, never again! To each his own. I've had dozens of proper seacocks and never had to replace one. I always serviced mine upon getting the boat and never had to again. I had to replace two marelon ones on one boat.

[Allied39]

Replace it. A couple of hours work at most.

A super easy way to do it. Get a piece of wood, round it so you can bash it into the hole from the outside.

Bash it into the hole from the outside. Get a holesaw as close to the hole size of the hole in the hull and drill into the center of the piece of wood you bashed into the hole. Obviously from the outside.

Drill into the bronze until the lip can be pried off. Knock the thu hull fitting into the boat. Done. !/2 hour tops if you are trying to waste time.

Install new tru hull. To easy......really. Total outlay.....what? $70 ?
I would not go plastic.....but some folks love plastic.
Personally I see plastic fail time and time again.....and again......and again.....where metal would not have.....but thats a personal opinion.

No, not going to argue about plastic versus bronze versus stainless...I really dont care enough about what others think.

Hope this is of value to the original post.

[jen1722terry]

I'm wondering if there is just enough space on the perimeter of the cone (on the broken end) to get a larger vice-grip on it. It would give you more turning leverage and may be less risky than whacking the nut end.

The dry ice is interesting. Never thought of that. Where would one get dry ice?

As for replacing just the cone, maybe check with Wil-Crit to see if they'll sell just the cone. I tried to buy a lug washer for one of my Sparten seacocks and they wouldn't sell me one. I had to make one out of plastic until I found an old one at a boat show. Also, depending on how many times the prior owners had lapped the cone and body of the seacock with lapping compound, the new cone may not be a good fit. Not sure about this, but it may be an issue in a 40-year old fitting.

I also like the plastic idea. Half the price of quality bronze seacocks, but still nearly $200 each for Marelon ABYC-approved. If I ever have to replace a seacock, it will be plastic.

Good luck, and do let us all know how you make out.

Terry

[Vengeful]

That does not look like a Wilcox-Crittenden - it looks like a Spartan:
https://www.spartanmarine.com/all-pr...artan-seacocks

they're still in business and may be able to sell you a new cone. If it's so stuck that you broke the eye off, the whole thing likely needs a lot of attention. Haul out, remove the whole seacock body and soak it in penetrating oil and try to disassemble, maybe with heat.

If everything comes apart and cleans up okay, maybe you were "lucky" and there was just a small flaw in the eye. A really good machine shop (one that specializes in medical devices may have more experience brazing...) can braze it back together with silver brazing wire (or bronze brazing wire if they're crazy good). A small custom bike builder may be more skilled at this than your average machine shop.

But, watch for serious corrosion or similar which may have caused the cone to seize and the handle eye to break...

Originally Posted by redsky49

This is what I am left with:

[Folie]

Hello all-

I have read the pdf provided by Alan Mighty. This caught my attention--

"Never, we repeat never, under any circumstances should a thru hull be used to fasten a Seacox"

Does the pdf mean -- 'do not neglect to also use bolts/rivets to attach to hull'?

I have included pictures.

Thank you --

[fish53]

Originally Posted by Vengeful

That does not look like a Wilcox-Crittenden - it looks like a Spartan:
https://www.spartanmarine.com/all-pr...artan-seacocks

they're still in business and may be able to sell you a new cone. If it's so stuck that you broke the eye off, the whole thing likely needs a lot of attention. Haul out, remove the whole seacock body and soak it in penetrating oil and try to disassemble, maybe with heat.

If everything comes apart and cleans up okay, maybe you were "lucky" and there was just a small flaw in the eye. A really good machine shop (one that specializes in medical devices may have more experience brazing...) can braze it back together with silver brazing wire (or bronze brazing wire if they're crazy good). A small custom bike builder may be more skilled at this than your average machine shop.

But, watch for serious corrosion or similar which may have caused the cone to seize and the handle eye to break...

Spartans have a pinned handle and an indictor disc on the nut side which we can't see. It doesn't look like a Spartan but were it mine it would be scrap and a new Spartan would be in it's place. Considering what boats cost the investment in a high quality part for a critical use is money well spent. If it is replaced I'd also take the time to mount it properly I suggest checking out "Marine How To" a website with a wealth of information about this and other boat projects.

[Vengeful]

Originally Posted by fish53

Spartans have a pinned handle and an indictor disc on the nut side which we can't see. It doesn't look like a Spartan but were it mine it would be scrap and a new Spartan would be in it's place. Considering what boats cost the investment in a high quality part for a critical use is money well spent. If it is replaced I'd also take the time to mount it properly I suggest checking out "Marine How To" a website with a wealth of information about this and other boat projects.

yes, the handle is off, the ear is broken off, but i still think it's a Spartan. Picture attached.

[fish53]

Originally Posted by Vengeful

yes, the handle is off, the ear is broken off, but i still think it's a Spartan. Picture attached.

Easily rebuilt, just don't hit it or use huge wrenches on it. I have six of them and I use Spartan lapping compound to reseat the cone and Spartan grease, it's very thick and stiff and stays in. I believe they'll sell parts but as I've never bought any I don't know for sure. Gentile heat like a heat gun with an occasional squirt of PB Blaster may loosen it up. Tap gently on the nut end with a block of wood or something else forgiving between the threaded shaft and your hammer and the cone may pop out for you. I always close my seacocks when I leave the boat or am not using the engine for awhile, they like a bit of exercise. Check out that "Marine How To" site, he has lots of good information about these.

[Scout 30]

Pretty sure that's a Spartan. I'd put a board between the nut & the bulkhead & then tap in a wedge. Then apply heat, tap the body with a hammer & use a crescent wrench to turn the cone. 2 torches would work best but watch the PB Blaster cause it's flammable.

[Red Sky]

Originally Posted by fish53

I always close my seacocks when I leave the boat or am not using the engine for awhile, they like a bit of exercise.

+1 As you should.

[stnick]

On my Morgan 384 i had bronze seacocks all open and Very 30 year jammed. I gave the job to the boat yard while i had head replumbing to do . After 2 days they said there saws alls could not reach half of my seacocks !
I told them get a 3 inch hole saw and cut from the bottom and they will all drop out ! They did. Than they installed a fiberglass plate inside and lots of layers of glass my bottom is better than 2 1/2 solid glass. After it all dryed , they redrilled for new malon seacocks !
It was 500 each and I supplied the sea cocks. ! Im happy and all the handles work